Big money throws down against California fixture

The intrigue: After seven years of the Governator, it’s time to say “Bye-bye” to Arnold Schwarzenegger and hello to either GOP candidate Meg Whitman or veteran politician Jerry Brown in California’s governor race.

Whitman, 54, a former eBay chief executive, is an ambitious newcomer to the political scene. She reached deep into her own pockets to fund her campaign, reportedly shelling out more than 70 million dollars to win the Republican primary in June. In her first political bid, Whitman has leaned relatively far to the right, coming out especially hard on immigration. Ironically, this stance may backfire, as her name has recently been all over the press in relation to a scandal involving the hiring of an undocumented worker: Whitman’s very own house cleaner.

Brown, 72, is an old hand at California politics and has held a long list of political positions over the last few decades, including mayor of Oakland, California Attorney General and has even served two terms as governor in 1974 and 1978.

The odds: Although the race between Whitman and Brown was at first pegged to be neck and neck, Brown has pulled ahead in recent weeks, with an average lead of 3.2 points, according to RealClearPolitics polls.